In the late hours of the final Friday before the Olympic Games begin in Paris, a young waiter named Anatole closed up his brasserie for the night in the shadow of the Sainte‑Chapelle by the Seine. Under regular circumstances, the area would be flooded with tourists and potential customers crossing over the river to catch a glimpse of the famed Cathédrale Notre-Dame, but this time the brasserie and the surrounding area were completely empty. In the rare absence of humans, dozens of rats roamed the streets all night.
With less than a week to go until the Olympics officially open, areas directly surrounding the Seine have practically been locked down. Only those with a “Games Pass” QR code on their phone or an Olympic accreditation are allowed to cross certain parts of the river, meaning pedestrians are constantly turned away. The anti-terrorism security perimeter (SILT) will be in place until after the opening ceremony, which takes place on Friday over the Seine.
